Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Fifyfofum]

Hi,

I've heard that Korea is a good place to get this done.
Can anyone recommend somewhere in Seoul and advise as to the cost?

I know that glasses and contacts are cheap here, but thinking about getting this done after I finish my contract (ie B4 returning to the extravagantly priced UK).

Lotsasunshine
Fifyfofum

[komtengi]

Ive been told Bangkok is great for it.

[funplanet]

I had it done in Bucheon 5 months ago at Bucheon Eye Clinic by Dr. Park..he, and the staff, were wonderful and I have been 100% pleased with the results and the attention I have received from them. I went to several places in Kangnam that were recommended but never felt comfortable with the doctors nor staff...Dr. Park is well known and is up to date on equipment and procedures..cost 2.2 million...give them a call at 032-328-7511

[Bulsajo]

I'll also recommend eye surgery in general (can't speak for any clinics in Korea)- I had it done at the beginning of November and it's been fantastic- a minor miracle as far as I'm concerned.

[peppermint]

There's a fair amount of info here

[dulouz]

Lasik on Z-100?

There is a machine that my eye clinic is excited about, its called a "Z-Optics". Is this worth it or does everyone else get regular lasik?


http://www.lasik-india.com/zyoptix.htm

[Carole Anne]

I don't know about in Korea, but I had it done in September here in Edmonton, and I am SOOOOO happy with the results! I had been wearing glasses since I was in grade 4 and now perfect 20-20. Go for it as long as the place it reputable!

[merrilee]

Wow. You're incredibly brave to consider getting that done in Korea. I had it done in Thailand and was extremely pleased with their professionalism. I highly recommend this place. www.lasikthai.com

The cost was about $1,600US and was completely worth it!

[betchay]

my sister had this operation at St. Luke's Hospital in the Philippines 5 years ago and she only paid 1/3 of what it would've cost her in the US...

[dulouz]

Yea, TRSC is very good, its a good clinic.

Odd Lasik news....

[url]Lasik controversy hits ophthalmic practice
Rita Dutta - Mumbai

The recent controversy surrounding Laser In Situ Keratomileusis (Lasik) surgery being inappropriate for Indian corneas is begining to have a telling effect on the practice of refractive surgeons. A few refractive surgeons from Mumbai, Express Healthcare Management spoke to, revealed that the number of Lasik surgery performed by them has declined by 20-50 per cent in the aftermath of the controversy.

Meanwhile, the whole controversy, which begun with Dr R B Vajpayee, professor of ophthalmology at the Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS, stating that average Indian cornea is not thick enough to undergo Lasik surgery, has taken a new twist. Dr Hem Kuma Tiwari, chief of Rajendra Prasad institute, has come out in the aid of the ophthalmic community by refuting the findings of Dr R B Vajpayee through an official communique dated 6 August, 2002 (See box). Dr Vajpayee had reportedly said that the thickness of average Indian cornea is only 519 micron as compared to 557 micron in the west. He based his findings on a study of 1069 corneas.

However, the damage seems to have been done. Complains refractive surgeon Dr Burjor Banaji who introduced Lasik surgery in India in 1994, �The sweeping and irresponsible statement made against Lasik has proved to be extremely dangerous to the profession. Indian doctors have now become a laughing stock before the world. Seeds of fear has been sown in the minds of common man and, as a result, the flow of patients has reduced by 50 per cent already at my clinic.� Says Dr S Natarajan, medical director, Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital, Mumbai, �The controversy would badly affect the business, but once the doubts planted in the minds of people are clarified, Lasik would peak up. However, it is difficult to say how long we would take to recover from the blow.�

While the controversy has raised doubts about the corneal thickness of Indian eyes, refractive surgeons perceive it as a non-issue in Lasik surgery. Dr P Suresh, Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital, says, �The thickness that needs to be sculpted by Lasik depends on the diopter to be corrected. Whether a surgeon is getting enough tissue for ablation would first be judged by pachymetry test which detects the thickness of the cornea. The surgeon thereafter calculates the area for ablation according to the type of equipment used.�

In India, the equipment available are from Bausch and Lomb, Wavelight (Germany), Nidek, Aesculopion (Germany), VISX, Summit and Laser Sight. The determining factors here are the kind of microkeratome (instrument used to cut the corneal flap) and Lasik equipment used. Considering the average corneal thickness in the range of 522 to 540 micron, most surgeons are left with 100-120 microns for sculpting even after leaving 250 micron as residue for safety measures. To correct one diopter, the sculpting area required is in the range of 10-12 micron. In other words, a corneal thickness of over 120 micron will be sculpted only in cases where the refractive error exceeds 10 Diopters in case of myopia. However, experts say that not more than 5-10 per cent of the population suffer from high refractive errors exceeding 10 Diopters. This means that corneal thickness is not really an issue since the number of cases where corneal thickness have to be considered is less than 10 per cent.

While doctors are splitting hair on the exact corneal thickness, a study conducted by Schell Eye Hospital, Vellore and published in Indian Journal of Ophthalmology in 2000 contradicts the fact the Indian corneas are thinner than the normal range of 522 to 540 micron. After studying 50 normal corneas in people, it was found that the mean thickness is 537 micron (+/- 31 micron).

Says Dr Aashish Bansal, HOD, Refractive Surgery, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, which conducts around 1000 Lasik surgeries annually, �Laser surgery is as suitable for Indian eyes as for any other population. However, there is a paucity of well-trained refractive surgeons in our country.� According to a survey conducted by L V Prasad some time back, as many as 40 per cent refractive surgeons admitted to have no formal training at all in refractive surgery.

The impact of the controversy is a concern to Lasik equipment manufacturers though for the moment they are keeping their fingers crossed. Says Pradeep Oza, vice president, Bausch and Lomb, �When such a controversy happens at such a large scale, it is obvious that business would be affected. However, it is too early to comment whether it would have a long term impact.� Said Stephen Wendl, product manager - ophthalmology, Wavelight, �In my recent visit to Bangalore and Chennai, I heard doctors y twenty per cent. Doctors have told me that it is a temporary phase and it would not affect their business for a long time. We have 15 installations in India and we are not afraid of losing our market here.� Some optimistic words these.

AIIMS refutes Dr Vajpayee�s findings

Barely a week after Dr R B Vajpayee claimed that the average Indian cornea is not thick enough to undergo Lasik surgery, Dr Hem Kumar Tewari, chief of Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences has issued a clarification refuting the findings of the study. Surprisingly, Dr Tewari, in his communique says, �There is no study conducted at Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences or elsewhere in the world which suggests that there is an increase in the incidence of Retinal Detachment after Lasik.� Additionally, he says, �Lasik is being successfully carried out in Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre since November 1998 and we do not have data coming out of Dr R P Centre on patients 10 years post Lasik. There has been no corneal grafting performed at Dr R P Centre till date for correction of post Lasik corneal bulging though we have fitted contact lens in three patients of post Lasik corneal bulge.�

He also came to the aid of the ophthalmic community by stating that Indian opthalmic community is responsible and well aware about their committment towards patients to achieve good results. �The procedure is as safe and effective in Indian eyes as anywhere in the world provided proper care in pre-Lasik screening is taken,� he added.
[/url]

[Swiss James]

[dulouz]

Yea, TRSC is very good, its a good clinic.

Odd Lasik news....

[url]Lasik controversy hits ophthalmic practice
Rita Dutta - Mumbai

The recent controversy surrounding Laser In Situ Keratomileusis (Lasik) surgery being inappropriate for Indian corneas is begining to have a telling effect on the practice of refractive surgeons. A few refractive surgeons from Mumbai, Express Healthcare Management spoke to, revealed that the number of Lasik surgery performed by them has declined by 20-50 per cent in the aftermath of the controversy.

Meanwhile, the whole controversy, which begun with Dr R B Vajpayee, professor of ophthalmology at the Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS, stating that average Indian cornea is not thick enough to undergo Lasik surgery, has taken a new twist. Dr Hem Kuma Tiwari, chief of Rajendra Prasad institute, has come out in the aid of the ophthalmic community by refuting the findings of Dr R B Vajpayee through an official communique dated 6 August, 2002 (See box). Dr Vajpayee had reportedly said that the thickness of average Indian cornea is only 519 micron as compared to 557 micron in the west. He based his findings on a study of 1069 corneas.

However, the damage seems to have been done. Complains refractive surgeon Dr Burjor Banaji who introduced Lasik surgery in India in 1994, �The sweeping and irresponsible statement made against Lasik has proved to be extremely dangerous to the profession. Indian doctors have now become a laughing stock before the world. Seeds of fear has been sown in the minds of common man and, as a result, the flow of patients has reduced by 50 per cent already at my clinic.� Says Dr S Natarajan, medical director, Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital, Mumbai, �The controversy would badly affect the business, but once the doubts planted in the minds of people are clarified, Lasik would peak up. However, it is difficult to say how long we would take to recover from the blow.�

While the controversy has raised doubts about the corneal thickness of Indian eyes, refractive surgeons perceive it as a non-issue in Lasik surgery. Dr P Suresh, Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital, says, �The thickness that needs to be sculpted by Lasik depends on the diopter to be corrected. Whether a surgeon is getting enough tissue for ablation would first be judged by pachymetry test which detects the thickness of the cornea. The surgeon thereafter calculates the area for ablation according to the type of equipment used.�

In India, the equipment available are from Bausch and Lomb, Wavelight (Germany), Nidek, Aesculopion (Germany), VISX, Summit and Laser Sight. The determining factors here are the kind of microkeratome (instrument used to cut the corneal flap) and Lasik equipment used. Considering the average corneal thickness in the range of 522 to 540 micron, most surgeons are left with 100-120 microns for sculpting even after leaving 250 micron as residue for safety measures. To correct one diopter, the sculpting area required is in the range of 10-12 micron. In other words, a corneal thickness of over 120 micron will be sculpted only in cases where the refractive error exceeds 10 Diopters in case of myopia. However, experts say that not more than 5-10 per cent of the population suffer from high refractive errors exceeding 10 Diopters. This means that corneal thickness is not really an issue since the number of cases where corneal thickness have to be considered is less than 10 per cent.

While doctors are splitting hair on the exact corneal thickness, a study conducted by Schell Eye Hospital, Vellore and published in Indian Journal of Ophthalmology in 2000 contradicts the fact the Indian corneas are thinner than the normal range of 522 to 540 micron. After studying 50 normal corneas in people, it was found that the mean thickness is 537 micron (+/- 31 micron).

Says Dr Aashish Bansal, HOD, Refractive Surgery, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, which conducts around 1000 Lasik surgeries annually, �Laser surgery is as suitable for Indian eyes as for any other population. However, there is a paucity of well-trained refractive surgeons in our country.� According to a survey conducted by L V Prasad some time back, as many as 40 per cent refractive surgeons admitted to have no formal training at all in refractive surgery.

The impact of the controversy is a concern to Lasik equipment manufacturers though for the moment they are keeping their fingers crossed. Says Pradeep Oza, vice president, Bausch and Lomb, �When such a controversy happens at such a large scale, it is obvious that business would be affected. However, it is too early to comment whether it would have a long term impact.� Said Stephen Wendl, product manager - ophthalmology, Wavelight, �In my recent visit to Bangalore and Chennai, I heard doctors y twenty per cent. Doctors have told me that it is a temporary phase and it would not affect their business for a long time. We have 15 installations in India and we are not afraid of losing our market here.� Some optimistic words these.

AIIMS refutes Dr Vajpayee�s findings

Barely a week after Dr R B Vajpayee claimed that the average Indian cornea is not thick enough to undergo Lasik surgery, Dr Hem Kumar Tewari, chief of Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences has issued a clarification refuting the findings of the study. Surprisingly, Dr Tewari, in his communique says, �There is no study conducted at Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences or elsewhere in the world which suggests that there is an increase in the incidence of Retinal Detachment after Lasik.� Additionally, he says, �Lasik is being successfully carried out in Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre since November 1998 and we do not have data coming out of Dr R P Centre on patients 10 years post Lasik. There has been no corneal grafting performed at Dr R P Centre till date for correction of post Lasik corneal bulging though we have fitted contact lens in three patients of post Lasik corneal bulge.�

He also came to the aid of the ophthalmic community by stating that Indian opthalmic community is responsible and well aware about their committment towards patients to achieve good results. �The procedure is as safe and effective in Indian eyes as anywhere in the world provided proper care in pre-Lasik screening is taken,� he added.
[/url]

[dg611]

Hate to break the news to the haters out there but Korean surgeons are widely praised for their skills.Korea is an excellent place to have surgery...if you go to a top hopital with doctors who have studied and interned and practiced overseas and not some joe-blowme hospital where the doctors can't even put together a sentence of English without shitting their pants....Truth is...many Koreans who live in the US come back here to have dental and optical work done because it is much cheaper and of very high quality....Thailand is also an excellent place to get work done....but if you are here...do it with a reputable doctor and you will get service equal to that you would have in the US or elsewhere.

[semphoon]

Im getting it done in 2 days.

I will tell you how it goes.

[SarcasmKills]